March 19 marks a special event sponsored by Wayne State College Rotaract and the Rotary Club of Wayne along with other organizations. It involves Peace - a special emphasis by DG Robert, and polio - of course of interest to Rotary. One of the featured presenters is DGE Gretchen.
Click here for the flyer.
As a professor of One Health Studies at Wayne State College, I’ve been privileged to know many remarkable students! A number of years ago, an international student came to my office saying, “I have an idea! What if we bring people together to listen to stories and ideas, share conversations, and learn with each other?”
Thus, began Ideas & Conversations, a Service-Learning program coordinated each semester by students taking my PGH 200: Introduction to Personal, Public, and Global Health class. Co-sponsored by WSC Service-Learning, the Rotary Club of Wayne, WSC Rotaract Club, and other community partners, students organize an event free and open to campus and community members to hear from keynote speakers on a selected theme. Following their talks, attendees engage in facilitated conversations designed to open eyes, hearts, and minds to topics challenging the world today. Recent themes have included “Listening Differently” and learning from Nebraska Commission for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing; “Healing Historical Trauma – Reclaiming Culture & Dignity” featuring a Winnebago Native American nurse, and her family dancers.
On Thursday March 19 at Wayne State College, students will be hosting D5650 DG-Elect Gretchen Bren and Dr. Doug Christensen, a microbiology professor for “Ideas & Conversations: Peace, Love & Polio”. Gretchen will share Rotary’s mission to eradicate Polio, her work doing Immunization Days around the world, and the challenges of global conflicts affecting immunization and eradication efforts. Dr. Christensen will share the science of viral diseases and vaccinations, respectfully addressing the growing hesitancy to get vaccinated, and putting it in the perspective of our collective social responsibility to ‘love our neighbors’.
Students are researching and preparing resources to share with participants to learn more and spread understanding, promoting peace, love, and continuing the fight to End Polio. Gary Bren will provide information on upcoming Rotary events to End Polio. Weaving together Peace and Ending Polio, so central to Rotary focus areas, we hope to open eyes, hearts, and minds. We can do this!
Respectfully submitted by:
Barbara J. Engebretsen, PhD
Member, Rotary Club of Wayne